Bearing construction



June 12, 1934. V R 1,962,429

BEARING CONSTRUCTION Original Filed Nov'. 28, 1930 62/71 17 fa/myix? 37:QM, @dxx Jr rks.

Patented June 12, 1934 BEARING CONSTRUCTION Harvey Conover, Evanston,Ill.

Original application No. 498,738, now September 5, 1933. tion November12,

10 Claims.

My invention relates in general to support structures, the samecomprising subject matter divided from my co-pending application, SerialNumber 498,738, filed November 28, 1930, now

Patent No. 1,925,136, September 5, 1933, and the same has moreparticular reference to a novel pivot bearing and method of making andusing same.

An important object of the invention resides ina simple and inexpensivejournal construction particularly useful for pivotally supportingrelatively light weight rotational devices.

Another important object is to provide a journal structure for use inconnection with a pointed pencil or its equivalent to provide a rotatingsupport, efficient in operation, self-adjusting and self-lubricating,simple in construction and cheap to make, and, for these and otherreasons, especially well adapted for use in toys and similar deviceswhere an inexpensive pivot is wanted.

Another object of the invention is to provide a collapsible pivotstructure which can be packed flat for merchandising purposes.

Another object is to utilize a cheap sheet metal 2 stamping as a pivotbearing.

Still another object resides in the method of revolubly supporting arotating body.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparentas the same is more -fully understood from the following description,

which, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, discloses apreferred form of the invention.

Referring to the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a rotatable device embodying mypresent invention;

Figure 2 is a vertical section taken substantially along the line 2-2 inFigure 1; and

Figures 3 and 4 are perspective views of a sheet l metal stampingrespectively in fiat and in formed condition in accordance with theteachings of my present invention.

To illustrate my invention, I have shown on the drawing a rotatabledevice comprising a kinetoscope provided with a novel bearingconstruction 15 embodying my present invention.

The kinetoscope comprises a disk or base 11 and an upstanding annular orcircular wall portion 13 provided with spaced slots 35 through which theadjacent pictures on an action strip 57 may be viewed rapidly and insuccession by rotating the kinetoscope on its bearing 15 in accordancewith the well known operating principle of the kinetoscope.

The bearing comprises a piece of bendable met- November 28, 1930, SerialPatent No. 1,925,136, dated Divided and this applica- 1931, Serial No.574,617

al 43 preferably tin, which is or may be formed as a stamping in theshape of a flat elongated strip provided centrally with a conicaldepression 45 extending upwardly in the strip and ridges 4'7 spacedlongitudinally in the strip on either side of the depression 45. Theridges and conical depression may be formed in the same direction in thestrip if desired, but, for the purpose hereinafter more clearlyexplained, I prefer to form the conical depression upwardly in the stripwhile the elongated ridges are pressed downwardly therein so as to formridges in the un derside of the strip while the conical depression formsa mound in the upper side of the strip. At each end of the strip,tongues 49 may be formed. The bearing is assembled in the kinetoscope bybending the parts, containing the ridges 47, downwardly from the centerportion containing the cone-shaped depression 45 along the lines of bend51. As formed, the strip will naturally bend along the lines 51 sincethe depressions 4'7 terminate a short distance from the cone-shapedportion 45 and the bend will always occur in these spaces since theremaining parts of the strip are stiffened by the elongated ridges. Thestrip, as bent for assembly in the kinetoscope, is illustrated in Figure4 of the drawing. The bent strip may be assembled in position bypressing the flaps or prongs 49 through the disk 11 on either side ofthe perforation 19.

The strip 43 is also preferably formed with shoulders 55 extendingoutwardly of the prongs 49 and these shoulders engage the upper surfaceof the disc 11, when the prongs 49 are forced therethrough, to thuslimit the distance to which the prongs may be forced through the disk.The prongs 49 are then clamped over beneath the disk 11 as indicated inFigures 1 and 4, to firmly fasten the bearing strip 43 in place. Thisbearing is extremely cheap to make and simple to install and yet isunusually effective when used in connection with a suitable pintlemember 1'7. This pintle is inserted through the perforation 19 so thatits point enters the conical depresson 45, as clearly illustrated inFigure 3 of the drawing. I prefer to utilize a p inted lead pencil asthe pintle member 1'! whereby a graphitized bearing is provided which isexceptionally well adapted to maintain rotation for a long period oftime. Graphite, as is well known, is a lubricant and the construction Ihave provided, when used in connection with an ordinary lead pencil,provides a bearing support of unusual efficiency. Any pointed pintlemeans, however, may be used with satisfactory results.

One of the important features of the construction I have described, isthat it lends itself particularly well to the production of a neatcompact package. When in disassembled condition, the walls 13 aredemounted and folded flat and laid upon the disk 11 and the bearingstrip 43 in flat condition as shown in Figure 3 may be arranged on thesurface of the disk 11 with the conical depression 45 extending into thecentral depression 19 of the disk 11. When in this position, theremaining portion of the strip 43 will lie fiat upon the upper surfaceof the disk, the depressions 47 extending upwardly for this purpose. Anysuitable fastening means, such as mucilage, gummed paper, clips and thelike, may be used to secure the strip to the disk in collapsed position.It will be obvious that the strip so assembled will occupy a minimum ofspace in the package.

It will be apparent from the foregoing description that I have provideda novel construction whereby an efiicient, sturdy, frictionless bearingis produceda bearing which can be packaged in a collapsed, substantiallyflat position.

I do not herein claim the zoetrope nor the method of producing animatedpictures, since the same form the subject-matter of my co-pendingapplications, Serial Number 498,738, filed November 28, 1930, now PatentNo. 1,925,136, issued September 5, 1933; and Serial Number 663,463,filed March 30, 1933.

It is thought that the invention and numerous of its attendantadvantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it isobvious that numerous changes may be made in the form,

construction, and arrangement of the several parts without departingfrom the spirit or scope of my invention or sacrificing any of itsattendant advantages, the form herein described being a preferredembodiment for the purpose of illustrating my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is as follows:

1. In a device of the class described, a strip having a central conicaldepression, an elongated ridge formed in the strip on either side of andin line with the conical depression, said ridges terminating short ofthe conical depression whereby to define areas in which the strip may bebent intermediate the ridges and the depression,

said strip having its ends formed with prongs arranged for insertionthrough a disk or card and being bendable beneath the card to afiix thestrip thereon whereby to provide a suitable bearing about which torotate the device.

2. A collapsible bearing construction comprising a plate having aperforation and a member adapted to be mounted on said plate oppositethe perforation, said member having a portion adapted to be connected tothe plate and a portion providing a conical depression in line with theperforation and disposed in spaced relationship with respect to saidperforation, said member comprising a strip of sheet metal having acone-shaped offset portion providing the conical depression in onesurface of the member, said off-set portion having a basal dimensionsubstantially equal to the dimension of the perforation so that themember may be folded with respect to the plate with the conical portionentering the perforation when the device is collapsed.

3. A hearing structure comprising a plate having a perforation and astrip of configurated sheet metal adapted for assembly on the plate toextend upwardly of the perforation and to form therewith a journal orbearing, said plate having a depression formed therein and havingdepending means for attaching the strip to the plate with saiddepression in aligned spaced relationship with respect to theperforation of the plate, said depression being of substantially thesame overall size as the perforation of the plate so that the strip maybe laid flat on the plate when in disassembled condition with thedepression of the strip entering the perforation of the plate in orderthus to snugly assembly the collapsed parts in small compass.

4. A hearing structure comprising a plate having a perforation and astrip of configurated sheet metal adapted for assembly on the plate toextend upwardly of the perforation and to form therewith a journal orbearing, said plate having a depression formed therein and havingdepending means for attaching the strip to the plate with saiddepression in aligned spaced relationship with respect to theperforation of the plate, the overall diametral size of said depressionbeing no larger than that of the perforation of the plate so that thestrip may be laid flat on the plate when in disassembled condition withthe depression of the strip entering the perforation of the plate inorder thus to snugly assemble the collapsed parts in small compass.

5. In a device of the class described, a strip having a central conicaldepression, an elongated ridge formed in the strip on either side of andin line with the conical depression, said ridges terminating short ofthe conical depression whereby to define areas in which the strip may bebent intermediate the ridges and the depression, and means formed on theends of said strip and adapted to connect said ends to a disc or cardwhereby to provide a suitable bearing to rotatably support a device.

6. In a journal for use with a pencil having an anti-friction pintlepoint, a revoluble device comprising a perforated disk, 2. metal striphaving oifset ends connected to said disk on either side of theperforation and having a center portion provided with a depression inline with the perforation to receive the anti-friction pintle point of apencil inserted through the perforation.

'7. In a journal for use With a pencil having an anti-friction pintlepoint, a revoluble device comprising a frame portion providing meansproviding an opening providing a collar for loosely embracing the sidesof the pencil and through which the body of the pencil may be inserted,and a secondary frame comprising a strip having its opposite endsproviding offset arms attached to the frame and having a portionintermediate said arms and spaced substantially above said opening andproviding a depression in line to receive the anti-friction point of thepencil and co-operate therewith to provide an inexpensive anti-frictionbearing about which the frame may rotate.

8. The combination with a pencil having a point comprising anti-frictionmaterial, of a revoluble device comprising a perforated member throughwhich the body of the pencil may be inserted and a bent strip havingarms connected to the perforated member and having a depression in linewith the perforation of the member to receive the point of the penciland co-operate with the anti-friction material whereby to provide aneiiicient bearing support.

9. A bearing structure comprising a plate having a perforation and asubstantially U-shaped sheet-metal strip having arms adapted for contogenerally U-shaped form to provide arms and a bearing portionintermediate the arms, said bearing portion being formed. with adepression and the arms having prongs whereby to attach the arms to themember on opposite sides of the perforation thereof, said strip beingmountable on the member with its depression in vertical alignment withsaid perforation whereby to provide a suitable bearing to rotatablysupport the device on the pintle.

HARVEY CONOVER.

